This school year our family has had the privilege of having a lovely young exchange student from Germany in our midst. She’s sixteen, incredibly sweet and fun, and she’s become a welcome part of our lives.
Since she will have left us for home by the time her birthday comes around, it was decided we should celebrate her birthday a little early. So I made another Meekoo.
(I made a few other things for her, too, all in two and a half days, because I am a born Night Owl who is also a glutton for punishment … and lucky enough to have Hubby pull kid duty.)
All I have to say about this is it should have been easier and faster now that I’ve already made it once, but I underestimated one thing: the fiddly nature of faux fur. It proved to be the most slippy, slidey, horrid thing to sew. It created problems at every turn, from difficulty keeping seams together to misplaced body parts.
I struggled with this critter for two days (between working on other things, but still). Despite all that, I think it turned out pretty cute (and I think she liked it).
The same day, when I needed a break from faux fur hell, I played around with some felt and some ribbon and made a little sketchbook kit. I was inspired by this tutorial, although I made up my own construction as I went.
After a little applique and cutting a decorative edge, I added some new pencils and a sketchbook and called it done. (She liked the sketch kit too.)
Now that I’ve worked through how to do it, I think I will be keeping these in mind for gifts as well, especially given my desire to clear out some of the piles of felt I’ve got sitting around….
(Oh, yeah, and don’t forget about the sale!)
My Mum will swear until she is blue in the face that a red velvet wedding dress for a daughter is EVEN worse than faux fur. Although I think part of that could have been understandable performance anxiety…
Great pressies, lady!
written on May 24th, 2010, at 10:27 amLove it all, especially the sketch kit. My two boys MUST have something similar immediately! Thanks for the inspiration and have a good week…
written on May 24th, 2010, at 11:57 amOh yes, that stuff is a tricky bit but, I agree with Tania’s mum, velvet is like sewing with spider monkeys!
Wonderful gifts you made!
written on May 24th, 2010, at 12:56 pmWhat wonderful makes, Gretchen! I love your sketchbook kit – great :) Hope your little ones are feeling better – flew through Twitter briefly and clocked your tweet :)
written on May 24th, 2010, at 1:35 pmCute gifts….I just love that sketch kit, so great.
Growing up my family had the pleasure of hosting several exchange students, I treasure the memories of these experiences. I look forward to being able to do the same thing someday with my own family.
written on May 24th, 2010, at 3:24 pmThis is great! I made some myself nice and fun project, and kids loves it as a gift =)
written on May 24th, 2010, at 5:08 pmThe meeko looks lovely. The sketchbook kit is great – I have been working on something similar too.
written on May 25th, 2010, at 1:52 am[...] some thin-wale corduroy and a printed cotton. (Do you recognize it? It’s left over from the last Meekoo I made and was also given to our exchange student as a [...]
written on May 26th, 2010, at 9:19 pmWhat a cool thing, hosting someone from another country :).
Both gifts are adorable. If you ever have the itch to put some sketchbook kits in your shop, I’d buy 3 or 4!
Speaking of the shop, I received my shop goodies and love them. One will stay with me, the other is a gift for a good friend and I’m looking forward to it showing up in her mail as a surprise next week. Thanks!!
written on May 26th, 2010, at 11:45 pmThese gifts are great! The colours and fabrics are beautiful. I have been trying to make some sketch kits at the moment out of fabric in a similar design. I hope they turn out as well as your has!
written on May 27th, 2010, at 11:02 pmThey are just gorgeous gifts. I love your little Meekoo!
written on May 31st, 2010, at 12:47 am[...] a patchwork shoulder bag as a spur-of-the-moment, last-minute “birthday” gift for a friend. I started with nothing but a pile of fabrics and my tools. No pattern or tutorial, just an [...]
written on May 31st, 2010, at 9:34 amIf I were at home and had access to a sewing machine, I would try to whip up one of those crayon and sketchbook holders right now!
written on June 3rd, 2010, at 7:00 pm